Super Replicator 2

thingiverse

I wanted to upgrade my Replicator 2 with a Super Mario inspired theme! Aside from the blue paint used on the panels, every single piece was 3D printed and not painted or finished in any way, the multiple colors are due to swapping filament colors mid-print. My general process was: Trace features from reference image using Illustrator. Import the SVG file of each feature into 123D Design and extrude each piece to create 3D models. Print all pieces, pausing mid-print to swap filament colors (this part was intense!). Paint the panels, glue the pieces, and assemble everything! Keep reading below for my full process of creating this! *NOTE: I used Illustrator because I have access to it through work. This same process could easily be done using a free alternative such as Inkscape.* Print Settings Printer Brand: MakerBot Printer: MakerBot Replicator 2 Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2 Notes: All parts were printed at 0.2 mm layer resolution. To achieve the multiple colors, I paused all the prints every 1 mm and changed the filament color (see below for more detail on this). How I Designed This Step 1: Find and import reference image A quick google search of Super Mario Level 1 gave me this reference image, which I pulled into Illustrator for tracing. Reference Image Step 2: Trace Features using Pen tool I manually traced out the major features that I wanted using the pen tool. I put each on separate layers so I could toggle them on/off and for easy export later on. NOTE: I don't know anything about Illustrator, and I'm sure there is a much faster way to do this. Traced features Step 3: Export SVG's and Import into 123D Design I exported each feature individually as an SVG file (I tried to do it all in the same file but 123D Design wasn't happy about that). In 123D Design, I chose the "Import SVG as Sketch" option. SVG imported as sketch into 123D Design Step 4: Extrude Features to correct height I knew I wanted to swap filament during the prints to achieve the multi-color look, and was able to match each color from the image (closely) with MakerBot's filament colors. Extruding the pieces to different heights allowed me to add some depth and interest to them. Step 5: Print the Pieces Using my Replicator 2, I printed all of the individual pieces. To achieve the multi-color look, I paused the print every 1 mm and swapped out the filament color (see below for more detail on this). Step 6: Paint the Panels I removed the 3 panels from my Replicator 2 (front and 2 sides) and prepped them for painting - removed the front stickers, lightly sanded the front surface of each, and wiped them all down with rubbing alcohol. I tried to match a spray paint color as best I could to the background color, which is how I ended up with Street Marking paint. It seemed to adhere just fine to the panel surfaces. I used 4 or 5 light coats to make sure it was an even coating. Step 7: Layout, Glue, and Assemble! Now the fun part! I originally wanted to lay out the pieces as an exact match to the original image, but I ended up having more fun just laying them out a few different ways to see what looked best. Once I settled on a layout, I used hot glue to stick all of the pieces in place. Finally I put the panels back on my printer, made sure everything stayed in place, and got back to printing! Files All STL files that I used (plus some extras that I didn't use) are included in the Thing Files section, the names should be relatively self explanatory. If you are also using a MakerBot Replicator 2 or 2X, I've included the pre-sliced .x3g files as well. Lastly, the spreadsheet with the color breakdown for all the parts is included as well.